Arts and books for April 6, 2013

State Senate District 12 art competition announced

State Sen. Anthony Cannella, R-Ceres, has announced he is sponsoring a contemporary art competition for California State Senate District 12.

The winner will be the piece of art Cannella believes best represents the district. The artist will receive special recognition from the Senate and have their piece displayed in the State Capitol as part of the Senate California Contemporary Art Collection.

Submissions must be original artwork by a resident of the 12th Senate District.

Oil paintings, works on paper, weavings, wall hangings and sculpture are all acceptable media.

The overall size of a piece is to be no larger than 3 feet by 5 feet. A biography of the artist must accompany the submission. The deadline for submissions is April 25.

Artwork will be accepted by mail or email. For mail submissions, please send attention "SD 12 Art Competition" to one of the district offices, which are located at 1640 N St., Suite 210 in Merced; 918 15th St. in Modesto; or 369 Main St., Suite 208 in Salinas.

Email submissions and questions regarding the competition can be sent to District Director Steven Nascimento at steven.nascimento@sen.ca.gov with the subject line "SD 12 Art Competition."

VALLEY ART GALLERY, 218 Main St., Salinas. April artist: Katherine Stuts-Taylor, prints. An artists' cooperative that has been serving the valley since 1976. 831-422-4162; salinasvalleyartgallery.com.

MUSEUMS

DE YOUNG MUSEUM, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. Through June 2, Girl with a Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis; through Sept. 8, Objects of Belief from the Vatican: Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas; through January 2014, David Hockney's newest body of work. 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday-Sunday and 9:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Friday. Free-$10. www.deyoungmuseum.org.

MONTEREY COUNTY YOUTH MUSEUM, 425 Washington St., Monterey. Developed in 1997 to provide an environment where curiosity and creativity flourish, while both children and adults learn together through experience. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Wednesday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. $5.50. 831-649-6444, www.mymuseum.org.

MONTEREY HISTORY AND MUSEUM OF MONTEREY, 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. Currently on exhibit: Psych Up Light Up and Ship Shop; through April 28, Riding the Mission Trail in 1903 with Jo Mora, drawings, watercolors and diary entries; through Aug. 31, Bryant Austin, Studio: Cosmos; May 10-July 28, Missions of California and the Southwest, the 1930s Series by Mission Painter Will Sparks. 831-372-2608. www.museumofmonterey.org.